AUTOPSY AND INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS ON THE DEATH OF CHIEF NEGOTIATOR

08/23/02 | Harris County Medical Examiner's Office, Houston Fire Department Fire/Arson Investigations

[COB1]

About three months ago, under the advice of the Texas Attorney General's office, I wrote a registered letter to Joyce M. Carter of the Medical Examiner's Office of Harris County in Houston, Texas, requesting the coroner's report on Herbert Paul Meadows, known to us as CHIEF Negotiator, who died in a fire at his house on October 4, 2001.

That report along with the Houston Fire Department's report on the investigation of that fire has finally arrived.

Without going into the technical aspects of the autopsy report, CHIEF Negotiator's death was ruled as accidental due to smoke inhalation.

NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY:

From the Arson Bureau's report:

"The fire originated at floor level approximately 4 feet west of the east wall adjacent to the south wall in the formal dining area. At this point the sheetrock on the south wall shows calcination along the south wall approximately 6 feet in length in the area below the southeast window. This suggests an area of intense burning and high heat.
The wood wall base trim at the area of origin was deeply charred by the fire. A wooden dining set of 4 wooden chairs and a wooden table were almost completely consumed by the fire. Small charred pieces of the table and chairs were all that remained.
The fire was very intense in the dining room area and spread to the adjacent rooms to the east, west and north. These rooms sustained high heat and fire damage from the fire spread. The fire consumed wooden doors separating the dining room from the kitchen and family room. Burn patterns were consistent with a fire moving from the dining room area into the adjacent rooms."

These next pics I took through the window shown by the arrow:

Continuing with the Arson Bureau's report:

"Investigators observed that the north side garage entry door was kicked open and that a partial shoe print was found on the door. This investigator was unable to determine if the door was forced by firefighters or was forced prior to the fire."[italics and bold mine]

------------------------- From the Arson Bureau's report:

-------------------------

"Captain ------ of L-36 told Investigator ------ that he found the deceased Herbert Paul Meadows lying in a fetal position, with his head against the west wall in the bathroom near the den. Firefighters dragged the victim to the driveway where he was pronounced dead by paramedics of Squad 40."

--------------------------

"Engineer ------- of L-36 reported that he observed two tripped electrical breakers when he shut off the electrical power."

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Investigator ------- went to St. Lukes Emergency Room to interview --------(Mrs.) Meadows who is the wife of the deceased. --------(Mrs.) Meadows was transported by H.F.D. ambulance after the fire. -------(Mrs.) Meadows was treated for smoke inhalation and had been medicated by the hospital but she was able to relate details of the fire.
(Mrs.) Meadows told investigators that she and her husband Herbert watched a late night T.V. show and then she had went to bed while her husband Herbert had went into the den to work on the computer.
Mrs. Meadows stated that she was in bed about 10 minutes as was not asleep when she heard a 'noise or crash'. Mrs. Meadows said the sound 'was like something going through a window'. These sounds came from the other side of the house where her husband was working. This sound was followed by loud screams. (sic)'Was like something going through a window!' She described the sounds made by her husband as 'like I never heard him scream in my life!'
-----(Mrs.) Meadows reported she ran down the hall toward the dining area and was stopped by the thick black smoke in the kitchen area. ----- (Mrs. Meadows) yelled at her husband and asked him if (sic) see needed to call '911'! (Mrs. Meadows) stated that she heard a 'muffled' 'yes!' and then lost contact with Herbert Meadows. (Mrs. Meadows) told investigator that she smelled a 'bar-b-que' type odor like 'when you light a fire with charcoal lighter fluid'. (Mrs. Meadows) attempted to call for help on a phone in the house but she reported the phone was dead. (sic) Meadows went outside in the front yard and yelled for help.

------------------

From notes of the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office:

"Arson inv. reveals no..(crossed out).. flammable fluids"
"The investigators.. (crossed out).. smelled gas at scene"
"Not sure if they are ruling arson or not"

[COB1]

"It could be that it was opened during overhaul too,"

It wasn't just opened.
It was kicked open!

[MistyCA]

Wait a minute here Cob. If you remember Mrs. Chief said that door was always open. Also, in communications with the investigators there was never any mention of a door being kicked in by intruders. In fact, to the contrary, the door was never an issue.

[Dog Gone]

I think that kicked in door has nothing to do with this. To think that it did, you'd need an assailant who kicked it in, opened the den door, rushed through and tossed a firebomb in the dining room, while Herb was sitting in the den at his computer reading FR.

That seems very unlikely. I can't even imagine a scenario where that seems plausible.

[COB1]

HERB'S LAST THREAD

[MoJo2001]

May He rest in peace. I don't really know what else to say. Well, I pray that God exposes the truth.

[COB1]

"In fact, to the contrary, the door was never an issue."

I know!
This "forced" entry into the back door was a brand new item!
I had never heard that mentioned!

[HighWheeler]

This report is incomplete. As it stands, it is Bu11$h1t.

1) It does not identify a root-cause for the fire.

2) It does not explain why the temperature gradient was so steep around the initiation point.

3) It does not describe the process involved in the spread of the fire. The speed, the direction, and the reason why CHIEF could not escape.

4) It does not explain the descrepancy between the Arson Investigator who failed to identify an accelerant and the Witness and Investigators who each identified an accelerant by smell.

5) It does not account for the window breaking noise, whether the glass was inside or outside the house and the identified method of breaking, either projectile or intense heating.

6) It does not explain what caused the dead phone line when Mrs. CHIEF tried to use it.

7) It does not say whether the tripped breakers were material to the fire, such as cause or effect.

8) It does not describe the extent of CHIEF's fresh injuries and if they occurred necessarily due to the fire.

9) There is no explanation for the broken garage side door, and which firefighter broke it down. If not, the shoe print should match a fireman's boot.

10) There is no explanation as to what exact, localized, high BTU fuel was available that caused the "intense heat" that calcinated the sheetrock.


There is more I'm sure, the investigation is not finished.

Fires do not accelerate that quickly without a strong source of fuel and a non-restricting house configuration.

This report stinks to high heaven (where we know Herb is right now.)

[COB1]

"To think that it did, you'd need an assailant who kicked it in, opened the den door, rushed through and tossed a firebomb in the dining room, while Herb was sitting in the den at his computer reading FR."

WHY does that sound so ridiculous to you?

[Republic]

I still miss the Chief. A bunch. And a crash followed by screams would indicate a huge surprise. I wonder if any investigation was done regarding the Chief's computer contacts. This entire write-up seems odd and begs for further investigation.

[WFTR]

Also if you look at the drawing, the hoseline came in from the unburned side of the house. If the crew that had opened the garage door had come in there with a line they would have steamed the other crew or visa virsa.

Thanks, I saw the drawing and that's what made me think that the door might have been opened for ventilation. I've had just a little bit of training, so I can't speak with authority. However, I remember them teaching us that sometimes the most effective thing is to open a door in the back and set a fan to suck everything through the house. In this case, fresh, cooler air would follow the hose line to the fire and allow the firefighters to see better.

[Darlin']

Cob abnd Tonk, Thanks for the Pings. The sad pings.

Cob, This doesn't seem to provide many answers, does it ?

[MistyCA]

I personally think it is meaningless. Based on all the other information. :)

[COB1]

"This report stinks to high heaven "

My thoughts exactly, HW!

[WFTR]

Don't you think a simple question like, "Hey, guys, did you kick the door open", would have been a natural part of the investigation??!

Agreed - I would also think that the investigators would be familiar with the pattern on the bottom of a firefighter's boot. Maybe these guys fight so many fires that the details of any single fire become obscured in their memories. Still, I would at least ask the question.

WFTR
Bill

[MistyCA]

Once again......Mrs C said that door was never locked.

[onedoug]

Thanks, Tonk.

God Love The Chief....

[COB1]

"This doesn't seem to provide many answers, does it ?"

No, darlin', it doesn't, but it looks like it's all we're going to get.

[MistyCA]

Let's put it this way....there is a footprint on the door, but there is no evidence of locks or doorframes being broken. I think that whole issue is a dead one.....OH PLEASE DON'T get me into this mess again!

[Barnacle]

I'm not impressed with the professionalism of this so-called investigation.

The house diagram should indicate whether there is a window above the point of origin. If there is, it seems logical that the window was broke out and a petroleum accelerate was poured in. This would explain:

1) The crashing sound.
2) The BBQ fluid odor.
3) The speed at which the fire became out of control.
4) The localization of the severely charred material.

A fireman should know not to use the ambiguous term "gas" in a report. It should read either "gasoline" or "natural gas".

If they suspected gasoline, material samples should have been collected for laboratory analysis.

There should be no cross-outs on this report. An error should have a single strike line through it with the initials of the person editing the document next to the correction.

Municipalities sometimes have limited interest in pursuing justice in criminal cases. I heard that many categories of crime would go unsolved if not for private investigation.

The homeowner's insurance or the life insurance company might put a real investigator on the case if they knew of the questions that are being raised.

[Helix]

Are the arson investigators going to leave this open, or does this report count as a final ruling?

Forgive the stupid question, but I have no idea how these investigations are conducted.